Dark & Sultry
By Jaclyn Zimmerman, Resident Somm
Many people think Merlot is boring. I used to be one of those people.
About 6 years ago, in a blind tasting of red wines, I was introduced to a Merlot that changed my life.
It was dark and sultry, with velvety smooth tannins beckoning my taste buds to have another sip....another glass. The scent of violet erupted, intermingling with dark cocoa, while waves of intoxicating magenta gently approached the shoreline, washing over the dark cherry flavors, gently draping over the ripe brambly tannins...
Where did this wine come from? What grape was it? I closed my eyes and castles came to mind... this was my new happy place. It was Merlot from California. Vibrant, dark berries, raw cacao, tannins... no typical Merlot; it had depth, and layers and stories to tell if you had time to listen.
The truth is, with its dark brooding flavors and supple tannins, Merlot is responsible for creating some of the best red wines in the world, including wines from St. Emilion and Pomerol of the right bank of Bordeaux, France.
Merlot's reputation was tarnished in the mid 2000's by an unhappy road-tripper named Miles, in the movie Sideways who decided that Merlot was lacking in character, ubiquitous, over-produced and unjustifiably widely popular. He always rooted for the Underdog which, at that time, was Pinot Noir. Also it reminded him of his ex-wife. In one scene, Miles declares, “If anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving! I am NOT drinking any fucking Merlot!” Ironically though Cheval Blanc, the bottle he drinks at the end of the movie, was, in his opinion, the "perfect" expression of wine. It was of course a Merlot!
Luckily, depending on the location of the vineyard, terroir and winemaking style, Merlot can produce a variety of unctuous wines worth cellaring, of which even Miles would be ordering a second glass.
When we started our Merlot program, our proprietor Lindsay Hoopes asked our Winemakers Anne Vawter and Jennifer Rue to find the best vineyard source. They went directly to Los Posadas vineyard in Howell Mountain. It’s nestled above the fog line, waking up to a brisk mornings and basking in the afternoon sunshine. The high elevation forces the Merlot vines here to struggle, digging their roots deeper, penetrating different layers of soil, which add to the depth and complexity of the wine. The sunshine ripens the dark brambly fruit flavors and softens, while also allowing the delicate spice to shine through. It is fair to say that Ed Welch, the vineyard owner who grows our Howell Mountain Merlot is somebody who really takes the time to understand Merlot’s potential so he can then coax it into its fullest expression from this mountain site.
We only make a limited production of our Howell Mountain Merlot - about 92 cases per year. Buy one now, to taste the magic of Hoopes Howell Mountain Merlot...